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Step 1
Have enough place settings and chairs for everyone that will be attending the meal. While there were once elaborate rules for who sat where, today’s guests usually choose their own seats according to who they wish to sit near. If you do want to choose everyone’s seats, place small name cards at each place setting with each person’s name.
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Step 2
Start with either placemats or a tablecloth for a more finished look. Placemats are usually used in a more casual meal while a tablecloth is generally used for formal meals.
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Step 3
Leave a space for the dinner plate. It will be served to the guests later. If you have serving places that you will place the dinner places on top of when they are served, place those on the table. If you don’t have a plate in this space, put a folded napkin there. If you have a serving plate there, place the napkin in the center of the serving plate.
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Step 4
Put your dinner fork directly to the left of the dinner plate space. The dinner fork is the largest fork. Place a salad fork to the left of that fork. If you have a shrimp fork or a small dessert fork, place those to the left of the salad fork.
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Step 5
Place each salad plate on the left of the smallest fork. Place the bread plate above the forks, toward the center of the table and the butter knife to the right of the bread plate.
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Step 6
Start on the right side of the dinner plate area. Put the knife directly to the right with the blunt edge facing right. Place your spoon on the right side of your knife. If you have a soup spoon and a dessert spoon, place the dessert spoon on the right of the soup spoon.
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Step 7
Place your glasses above the knife and spoons. This is where you will place your water glass and wine glass, if you are using both.
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Step 8
Add in your centerpiece. A beautiful centerpiece is often what makes a table setting special and will probably be what the guests remember more than anything else. However, your centerpiece should never be so large that it blocks your guests from seeing each other across the table. Aim for horizontal centerpieces rather than vertical ones when you set a table.
